


Barbed Wire Dreams

by jjsphinx



Category: Death Note
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Tattoos, M/M, Magical Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 08:19:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4739369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjsphinx/pseuds/jjsphinx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate universe that follows canon where you gain a tattoo for every strong emotion you experience.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Barbed Wire Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> This is shit and I haven't proofread it but I love it so here.  
> I might post a second chapter with L's POV.

Light had been three years old when he had gotten his first tattoo, it had appeared on the inside of his forearm whilst he slept. He had been confused, of course, he knew about tattoos, he had even seen those of his parents, the matching roses blossoming across their necks.

Even as a child, Light had known what the chain link meant.

Chains mean hatred.

What he could possible hate so much to scar his skin in such a way, however, was a mystery. A mystery that had been brutally and suddenly revealed later that day, when his parents had told him he was “getting a baby sister”.

Light was enraged, how could they think that having another was alright. They already had him, they did not need anyone else. He was perfect, a baby girl would just weigh the family down.

Light gained three more links when Sayu had been born.

By the time he had turned thirteen, his whole arm was covered with a complex network of chains, made up of thousands of links.

Light was glad that Japanese culture encouraged you too cover up your tattoos, it meant that no one questioned why he always wore long sleeves. Light was especially glad when the first sections of barbed wire began to form around his wrist, stretching like shackles around the soft flesh. Barbed wire meant pain.

By the time he was fifteen, the chains wrapped themselves around his torso, and the barbed wire had shackled his limbs, beginning to constrict his neck.

Light was surprised when, on his sixteenth birthday, water marks had appeared down his back.

Water meant sadness. Light thought that he perhaps could not gain any more marks, that he was so scared by his own treacherous feelings that he could not possibly have any room for anything else.

This theory was not disproved until he was seventeen. The day light found the death note, he had grown a pair of wings. Black, feathered and wrapping over his shoulders and across his back, he could not help but think they were beautiful.

Wings meant purpose.

He tried to ignore the new chain links forming, the new lengths of barbed wire wrapping around and over his new wings. The water that travelled up his neck was simply making way for the wings, yes.

Light had begun to smile when the fire appeared, starting on his fingertips and stretching up his arms as he watched the fake L have a heart attack. The movement of the flames had intensified when the real L had started to speak. Light’s smile stretched even wider when the barbed wire appeared to almost melt slightly.

Fire meant passion.

Light tried to ignore the water that now climbed up his face, and grew suddenly able to apply concealer.

On the day that Light had met L, he found himself unspeakably drawn to the young man. The bright rays lighting up his chest was testament to the impact the man would have on his life.

Sun rays meant joy.

Light tried to ignore the way his wings started to shrink, fraying around the edges and looking less definite.

He had never allowed anyone but himself to see the tattoos, not even his parents knew what monstrosities covered his body. He would not want to be seen as an outlier, an average person only gets a few small, insignificant tattoos on their arms, he could only feel alone with the multitude of marks covering his whole body.

So, when Light had been placed in captivity, he had not allowed himself to undress. He had not allowed himself to even peek at the tattoos, simply because he knew that everyone was watching.

He could almost sense the diminishing of the rays, however, and the growth of the barbed wire that was beginning to turn his body black.

When he said the words that would give up his knowledge and ownership of the death note, he sensed that his wings were nothing but an outline, if there at all. He quickly forgot, however, why his wings were there at all.

When Light was released, he was not surprised that L requested he remain chained to himself, he knew that L would be hard to convince that he was not Kira. Light himself was doubting his innocence, even though he logically knew there was no way he could be Kira.

Light, however, did not expect L to be as insistent as watching him undress.

Light certainly had not bee expecting that gasp that escaped L’s lips when he saw the multitude of wire and chain stretched across Light’s frail seeming skin.

He certainly didn't expect it when L pulled off his own clothes, to reveal the similar twists and loops of markings. He couldn't help but notice with a small pang of jealousy, the bouquet of flowers that graced his stomach.

The most unexpected thing, however, was the way L had kissed him, the desperation, joy, and sorrow mixing itself with the discovery of their own similarities, their own shared pain, their ow scared loneliness.

Light tried to ignore the flowers that appeared on his own sweat and cum stained stomach. When he next got dressed, he made sure to hide them from L.

Flowers meant love.

L, for whatever reason, suddenly started to respect Light’s own boundaries, and tried his best not to complain when Light kept his t-shirt on whenever they fucked. Light still knew it bothered him, though, and was sorry for it.

Once the fire started to spread, mixing in with sun rays to disintegrate the barbed wire along his arm, Light stopped looking at himself in the mirror. He didn't want to see the person that he struggled to recognise, not anymore.

On the day that they caught Kira, Light was sure he would be satisfied, that the ominous outlines of wings he couldn't remember the reason for would go away. When they finally did, though, he felt a dread weigh down in the pit of his stomach. When he touched the death note, he burned. It all made sense, the wings returned, stronger than ever, and he felt the barbed wire wrap itself around his body once more.

Light knew there was no way he could know, but L looked at him with a sad, sorrowful look in his eyes. It was later that he realised his face was stained with marks that looked almost exactly like tears.

He tried to ignore the thorns growing on the bouquet on his stomach.

On the day he killed L, all of his markings disappeared. His smooth skin was marked only by few freckles and the bruises L had left behind. Light found himself missing him in his bed, and he woke up the next day covered in water marks, so much so that his skin seemed almost blue.

Light found it hard to distinguish the real tears from the fake ones. He supposed it didn't matter much, whatever form they took, they were still tears.

When the knew competitor appeared, claiming to be L, he knew the wings were back. Though they were not anywhere near as grand as before, the fact that they were back gave him hope.

When L two turned out to be Near, however, he knew the wings were disintegrating, his body being stained with blue again.

Light couldn't bring himself to pretend Sayu’s capture had brought on any new marks, not that anyone on the task force seemed to notice.

When Light was standing in that warehouse, when he finally found out he was going to die, he burned. His marks had returned, and Light barely cared when he heard the gasps of those around him. All of the marks he had ever had, all of the emotions he had ever experienced came rushing back. The smile that was fraught with tears made him feels weak, and yet infinitely alive. Light knew he was going to die, and he was okay with that.

Never had he felt more love for L.


End file.
